, 1887-03-16

For defraylng expenses under the Bud.
get for the Municipality of st. Croix for
the financial year from the 1st April 1885
to the 31st March 1897 the following
amount IS granted.
Sub item d. 8. The Road Department,
Streets, sc, 3.
For repairing the bridge over the
Grange 100000
REMARKS.
The principal estate owners in COMMANDS
Quarter have applied to Government that
the Public assume the repairs of the bridge
over the Grange gutter, of which bridge
part has broken down.
In November 1886, after the heavy fall of
rain, the southern part of The wall on the
western side broke down, as the current
carried away the surrounding material.
partly because of the quality of the soil.
"nd partly owing to insufficient foundation.
In the course of the year 1886 the same
Orldge-then broken down in q similar
way as now-had once already been
repaired, and the cost of the renairs.
about s425.OO, was then distributed among
the properties in the quarter in the same
proportion as the road allOtments consi-
derlng this, and as the estate owners in
the quarter have had to defray another
heavy expense of about e33O.OO for repair.
ing the wall along estates Herlnon Hill
aud COntentment, Government is of Oplni-
on that the circumstances are of such an
extraordinary nature as 10 justify the
Public in assuming the repairs in accord.
ance with s II, last clause, of the Road
Ordinance.
For this purpose the present money bill
is proposed.
The calculated cost is based ON an
estimate from the Building Inspector
which will be found on the Councils table.
Government finds occasion to add that
the Road Commission has been instructed
to seek technical assistance in cases OF
greater repairs to bridges and like passages,
in order to secure the work to be done in
q fully satisfactory manner, and that an
amount will be entered in the budget for
the coming fiscal year rs u fixed yearly
remuneration to the Building Inspector for
giving such assistance,
2nd Member for Frederiksted's Country
District (SUitzer} expressed the opinion
that an imported iron bridge from America
would last so much longer as to be in the
end cheaper than til" present wooden
structure, which, though resting on mason
work, would rot, particularly at the ends.
The Governor would object to this, both
on account Of the cost aud of tile delay,
Qo UIugo OeHg pFeSSlngly needed, the
repairs had been already begun. It was
therefore too late to think of an iron
bridge.
4th Member for Frederfksted's Country
District INC. DOnaHJ thought that tenders
should always be called for, and he would
particularly mention the bridge al Williams
which he thought had cost much more
than it need have done, because a cheaper
offer was not taken. Why did we not
follow the initiative taken in this respect
by the neighbOring islands and put up all
public work TO licitatiorG whe offer made
was for $50, but on the completion of the
bridge by the Building Inspector, who got
it, it had cost about $1,000. He thought.
the excess too much. ~
3rd Member for C~hristfiansted,s Country
District INe'tAropp) could Rott but agrea
with the Goyernmtht to secure the services
of the Building Inspector. The workmen
of the day were so inefficient that the
cheapest would iii the end be, the. dearest
Frequent complaints had, fox Instance been.
made to him about the bridge at Harding
just lately repaired he had himself driven
there but a few days since and found it
full of ruts and holes which indicated poor